There is nothing more soothing, comforting, and warming to your soul in the winter like chicken soup. At my house, when somebody is sick, dtom-kah-gai is served. What is it, you ask? Dtom is soup, kah is galangal (a root in the ginger family used for seasoning), and gai is chicken, so the literal translation is chicken galangal soup. This chicken is cooked in coconut-milk flavoring along with the star of the show, galangal, with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, then seasoned with fish sauce, lime juice, and roasted chili paste. Fresh chili peppers are optional, but I highly recommend them. The more the better—it will clear out your sinus in no time! Try this chicken soup the next time your family feels under the weather.
Thai Chicken Coconut Soup with Galangal (dtom-kah-gai)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 13.5-ounce cans of coconut milk
3 cups water
2 stalks lemon grass, sliced to 2-inch pieces
6 Kaffir lime leaves
10 slices fresh or frozen galangal root, 1/8 “rounds
1 15-ounce can of whole straw mushrooms
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp Thai chili peppers, chopped (optional)
1/3 cup fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp roasted chili paste
Combine 1 can coconut milk, water, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal root in large sauce pan; bring to boil.
Add chicken and cook until done.
Stir in another can coconut milk and mushrooms and cook for five minutes or until boiling, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Turn down heat to medium low.
Add fish sauce, chili paste, lime juice and chili peppers. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle chopped cilantro on soup and serve with jasmine rice.
Note: Do not eat the lemongrass, kaffir, and galangal. They are too fibrous.
Naam Pruitt is a local food expert and author of lemongrass & limes, a Thai cookbook.
